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plan for wyoming moose

Reading some posts here about the prefer points needed to draw a wyo moose tag makes me wonder if the random draw would be a better chance to draw. Some of the odds are not good but I like my chances better than spending a metic Ass ton of money on nonres points. The area I am thinking of takes 12 points to draw. I have seen some really good bulls in there while elk hunting. The random draw odds aren't bad from my point of view. Has anyone here used this strategy?

Reading some posts here about the prefer points needed to draw a wyo moose tag makes me wonder if the random draw would be a better chance to draw. Some of the odds are not good but I like my chances better than spending a metic Ass ton of money on nonres points. The area I am thinking of takes 12 points to draw. I have seen some really good bulls in there while elk hunting. The random draw odds aren't bad from my point of view. Has anyone here used this strategy?

The problem being you still have to pay the $75 preference point fee when applying for moose. If I recall correctly that is not optional for moose.

You can go to Canada or Newfoundland but you still wouldn't get a moose from Wyoming. Maybe that's not important to you but it is for me. If you have the cash, I'd throw it down and hope for a random tag like you're talking about doing.

All you have to do is pony up for the price of the tag and the ap fee .you will get back the permit fee minus the app fee if unsuccesful. If I keep this up I should eventually draw. I like my chances. And if I don't draw oh well 12x75 is 900 bucks. I think the prefer fee is getting out of hand. It would be different if 4 or 5 would get it done but 20 is b.s. makes you wonder if we would be better off with a strictly random draw. Depending on your age you wont have enough lead left in your pencil to do it more than once in a lifetime anyway. Start buying points for your kids when they turn 12? What if who game and fish wipes the slate clean like they have for elk points? Where does your point money go then? Some areas take 20 years to draw plus 5 years before you can apply again what would be lost by once in a lifetime tags and a purely random draw??

I'm right there with you on your thinking that I need to be forking over the cash each year instead of only buying the point. The only problem with your thinking is the unit you want to draw takes 12 points. The same unit took 11 points last year and it will take 13 next year. By the time you draw on points its gonna take over 20 points to draw and me too. It is what it is but just be aware before you get in thinking you only need 12 points to draw.

It looks like to me if you are starting out just now, it is going to take 25+ years to draw even the mediocre units. Point creep from a combination of more applicants, cutting tag numbers because of wolf predation, and population fluctuations from tick and parasite loss seem to make the chances of drawing a preference tag slim at best. With that said if you really want a shiras moose: my advice is apply.

Here's an interesting article about the decline of moose populations in WY and MT.